# Is "Crystal Vision" by Gilbert Sorrentino a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Crystal Vision by Gilbert Sorrentino (North Point Press, 1981) is identified by: First North Point Press printing, San Francisco, 1981 (ISBN 0-86547-041-3), 289 pages. The 1981 North Point Press edition is the true first, preceding the UK edition from Marion Boyars.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First North Point Press printing, San Francisco, 1981 (ISBN 0-86547-041-3), 289 pages
- As was North Point's practice, the title was issued simultaneously in cloth with a dust jacket and in printed wraps; the cloth issue states first printing with no additional printing indicated, and a correct first-issue jacket carries its printed price on the flap (unclipped)
- Publisher imprint reads North Point Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Gilbert Sorrentino |
| Publisher | North Point Press |
| Year | 1981 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First North Point Press printing, San Francisco, 1981 (ISBN 0-86547-041-3), 289 pages |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First North Point Press printing, San Francisco, 1981 (ISBN 0-86547-041-3), 289 pages. As was North Point's practice, the title was issued simultaneously in cloth with a dust jacket and in printed wraps; the cloth issue states first printing with no additional printing indicated, and a correct first-issue jacket carries its printed price on the flap (unclipped).

## Is this the true first?
The 1981 North Point Press edition is the true first, preceding the UK edition from Marion Boyars.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
A UK edition was published by Marion Boyars (ISBN 0-7145-2759-8); the US North Point printing precedes it. A later Dalkey Archive paperback (ISBN 1-56478-159-3) is a clearly distinct reprint. No book-club edition affects identification.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Crystal Vision* by Gilbert Sorrentino a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/crystal-vision
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.